With the rise of IS, it is of interest to examine how IS has secured pledges of allegiance (bay’ah) from other groups both on the domestic front (i.e. within Iraq and Syria) and abroad (e.g. in Gaza-Sinai and Libya). I would argue that the case of Jama…

Message 71 (original here) Inertia in thought or determination to go astray Months have passed since the West’s announcement- under the leadership of the American occupation- of their alliance against Islam in our region- especially Iraq- under the…

The latest statements from the Islamic Army of Iraq’s official spokesman- Dr. Ibrahim al-Shammary- concern two subjects. Firstly, the death sentence handed down to the former Sunni Arab MP Ahmed al-Alwani, who was a central figure behind the renewal of…

I have remarked elsewhere that IS’ creation of Ajnad Media Foundation in summer 2013 with the production of a plethora of unique songs (e.g. ‘Close ranks and pledge bay’ah [allegiance] to Baghdadi’, ‘My Ummah, Dawn Has Appeared/Loomed’, and ‘I am not…

The following nasheed from the Islamic State was released at the beginning of June 2014 (i.e. when the group was still just the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham; unsurprising in light of explicit reference to Bilad al-Sham). There is also anticipation…

Relatively little news comes out these days from northeast Latakia province, which remains outside of regime control despite the recapture of the Armenian town of Kassab in June. However, it is important to observers of jihadi groups as what I would ca…